STARS
by GlassFoundations
Summary: A city in panic and a special rescue squad caught in a war between the living and the dead. Is there hope for Raccoon City in a mansion filled with secrets and where the dead crave for the living?


**Resident Evil**

_-Note- The following is based on the Resident Evil (Biohazard) games and characters, of which I own the rights of neither. This also contains strong violence._

'**Victims were apparently eaten…'**

'Raccoon City in the American Midwest was on of the quickest cities in America to reach prosperity. It was an idyllic community, surrounded by the Arklay Mountains and forests. After a deal between the mayor and the hugely successful _Umbrella Corporation_, Raccoon City grew into a very modern, profitable settlement. _Umbrella_ dominated the economy with most of the residents involved someway in its pharmaceutical business.

'However, the success did not come without a price. Crime, terrorism and a general stagnation threatened the bright city. Mayor Michael Warren addressed the issue by encouraging Brian Irons, Chief of the Raccoon City Police Department (RPD) to form the Special Tactics and Rescue Service (STARS) to put a dent in the high crime figures. Within a year, things changed remarkably.

'STARS are respected and well-known around the world. Many of the members come from specialist backgrounds, ensuring they are a vital part of the team that helps keep Raccoon City safe. Since the formation in 1996, there had not been a single death or serious injury. These people are good at what they do.'

'That's all well and good, Noah,' Tony said, uninterested. 'So why do you think I need to know about some hick town?' Noah grinned at the editor, knowing he'd love what he was about to say.

'Murder,' Noah whispered.

'A murder?' Tony repeated, sounding disappointed.

'Oh not just one, lots; like families being attacked by groups of people, being mutilated and destroyed by "cultists" as the police are calling them.' Tony leant forward, intrigued.

'Go on…'

'It's not just that, either,' Noah said enthusiastically. 'People in the forest have vanished, gone off the map completely. Seems these cultists have trained animals to attack, they found one women torn to shreds by something a lot more vicious than a bear.'

'Mad cultists in the Midwest training animals to mutilate hikers and killing people in the city themselves in their spare time?' Tony summed up.

'It's even better, in the city, victims were apparently eaten.'

'A cannibal cult?' Tony gasped. Noah nodded proudly. 'Who's the source?'

'Ben Bertolucci. We go back. Told me this information in confidence, apparently the local PD doesn't want too much getting out.'

'Understandable I suppose…' Tony muttered. 'We need more information for a story.'

'Agreed, I reckon I should go in. Ben apparently has found a source into this cult activity. He won't mention specifics, but he's implying it's big.'

'You've got one week,' Tony said. 'No results, I'm getting you out of there.' Noah smiled and headed for the door. 'And for God's sake, watch your back. No one likes you enough to write a memorial column for you.'

'**Sabotage…'**

The quiet mountain air was cut to pieces as a helicopter tore through the night sky. Inside were STARS Alpha Team, the best of the best Raccoon City had to offer. A searchlight was scanning over the woodland below, looking for something.

'Have you found it?' Brad, the pilot asked.

'No, I haven't found it yet…' Chris responded. Chris Redfield, one of the toughest members of STARS alive had his head stuck out of the helicopter, searching desperately for the helicopter of their compatriots, STARS Bravo Team, who had disappeared during their operation twenty-four hours earlier. They had been sent in to investigate the disappearances of the hikers and campers that had made the news.

'Look, Chris!' Jill Valentine cried, pulling the searchlight over what appeared to be a helicopter.

'Takes us down, Brad!' Albert Wesker, the team leader, instructed.

Their feet safely on the ground, Alpha team headed for the helicopter.

'These tracks indicate it crashed,' said Barry, pointing to the grooves on the ground. The helicopter skidded along the woodland floor before it crashed into dense trees.

'Joseph,' Wesker called, 'take a look inside.' Joseph Frost, the mechanical expert cautiously stepped into the helicopter. He looked around, clearly something was wrong.

'Nothing in here,' Joseph reported. 'Although a lot of their equipment is still here and… AHH!' Frost fell out of the helicopter. Barry caught him while Chris and Jill dived inside, their weapons held high. In the seat of the cockpit lay Bravo Team's pilot, his face mutilated.

'It's Kevin…' Jill gasped. She turned and jumped out of the cabin. Chris examined the body; it was bloody. Blood was everywhere on him and in the cabin.

'This explains why a lot of the equipment's still here…' he said, stepping out. 'Looks like they were attacked.'

'Where are the others?' Barry asked. Everyone shuffled on the spot.

'Jill, you and Joseph examine the helicopter and find out what made it crash, then search in that direction,' Wesker said. 'Chris, you go over there, Barry to the North and I'll check down here. Meet back at Brad's chopper in fifteen.'

Everyone separated. Jill and Frost stayed with Bravo's helicopter. Frost was examining the engine while Jill checked the close perimeter.

'It freaks me out, you know…' Frost said, stuttering. 'Kevin's just… just there and we can't do anything about it.'

'Try and put it out of your mind…' Jill said, looking at the marks on the ground.

'I'm trying…' Frost shook his head. 'But, damn… I had lunch with him just last week. We were planning the party for the new guy.' They were silent for a while before Jill decided to separate.

'Okay, I'll check over there. See you at the chopper.'

'Just a sec, Jill,' Frost said. 'Look at this.' Jill moved to the helicopter's engine. It was burnt beyond anything she could make out.

'What am I looking at?' she asked.

'There was a fire in the engine,' said Frost. 'A fire caused by a spark which triggered the detonation of this device right here.' Frost pulled out a great chunk of metal.

'What're you saying?' Jill asked uneasily.

'Sabotage,' said Frost. 'Bravo Team was sabotaged.

'We've got to tell Wesker!' Jill made off in the direction Wesker headed.

'Stop, you'll get lost!' Frost said. 'Just wait for him at the helicopter and tell him then'

Before Jill could even stop walking she heard a piercing scream that was heard by every other living thing in the forest. She turned and saw what looked like a dog launch itself through the open cabin doors of Bravo's helicopter and start mauling Frost.

'Joseph!' she screamed. More dogs arrived, saliva pouring from their mouths before they began to bite their prey on the ground. Jill started shooting at them. Gunshots and screams of agony replaced the dead air. Jill kept firing, tears welling in her eyes as she realised the shots were doing no good. Soon, the screams and shots stopped, the only noise coming from the dog's devouring Jill's friend and the empty click from her handgun. Joseph Frost was dead, and Jill knew she would be next.

She tried to move but couldn't summon the strength. She couldn't tear herself away from her friend who was being ripped apart before her very eyes. One of the monsters turned, still devouring Frost's remains in its mouth before laying eyes on her. She was now fresh meat. Once again she tried to move but there was nothing. She just couldn't do it. The dog jumped in a sprint and headed for her. Jill collapsed to the ground, unable to do anything. The dog lunged for her and Jill fell back, covering her face with her arms.

A shot came from the right of her. She turned and saw Chris running up to her. The other monsters were now distracted by them and left the half devoured Joseph.

'Let's go!' Chris yelled, pulling Jill up. The two started running for their lives. They had no idea where they would go; the helicopter was back in the other direction, as were the dogs. Their only hope was Barry and Wesker, somewhere ahead. They were not as quick as the dogs, which were slowly catching up. Jill was faster than Chris and broke ahead slightly. The air was filled with the roar of an engine as a helicopter flew overhead.

'Brad! Where's he going?' Chris yelled. There wasn't anytime for questions, however, as Chris was knocked to the ground. A dog had launched itself onto his back, causing him to fall to the ground. Before it began biting, he grabbed it by its neck and threw it forward, off him. He rolled onto his front in time to see another monster in the air, heading straight for him. This time there was no chance to stopping it, but as it flew through the air, it was shot to the side. Chris looked to the side and saw a man in sunglasses holding a gun.

'Chris, let's go!' Wesker yelled.

The three made a mad dash for safety. They did not know how many more were after them; they did not know where they were going. The only thing they knew was what they had to do; survive.

'Over there!' Jill screamed, looking at an estate through a clearing. The three broke to the left, the dogs closing the gap. They rushed forward, seeing a huge mansion appear before them. They ran and in one last sprint, headed for the main doors.

'What if it's locked?' Chris yelled. Wesker responded by shooting at the door. He got there first, pushing on the doors and the swinging them wide open. He dived through, leaving Chris and Jill. Chris closed one of the double doors and he ran through and Jill pulled the other one shut. They collapsed to the floor, the monsters outside banging into the door and then scratching frantically. They were trapped.


End file.
